HWS News
21 June 2018 Fisher '18 Pursues Human Rights Law at George Washington University
Jacqueline Fisher ’18 knew she wanted to pursue a career in human rights advocacy after working closely with displaced individuals during a 2017 internship with Catholic Charities. This fall, she will begin her coursework at George Washington University Law School, ranked among the top law schools in the country, and home to a renowned international human rights clinic.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” says Fisher. “When I was looking at different schools, I was impressed by the variety of courses in international law and human rights law that GW had to offer. I’m confident that the skills I gain there will propel me to the next steps of my career. I hope to continue to work with refugees and particularly focus on survivors of human trafficking.”
During her junior year at HWS, Fisher searched for an experience that would combine her civil liberties and political science coursework when, with the guidance of Associate Professor of Political Science Stacey Philbrick Yadav, she discovered the opportunity at Catholic Charities. At the refugee resettlement office, Fisher worked with people fleeing war, famine and poverty as they sought legal help to reunite with their families, secure work authorization, learn English, study for citizenship exams and integrate into U.S. culture.
As Fisher anticipates her first year at law school, she reflects on the skills and experiences that she has gained at HWS. As a political science and theatre double-major, she developed perspectives that distinguished her among applicants pursuing law schools.
“When I was in the process of studying for the LSAT and working with tutors, one thing I consistently heard was that law schools love theatre majors,” she says. “Script analysis skills and public speaking are musts in law school, and these are definitely things that I’ve gained from the theatre department.”
For Fisher, her liberal arts background working across disciplines will be “a consequential asset as I move forward in my career.”